Veronica plant named ‘Alllord’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Alllord’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely flowering habit; compact and dense inflorescences with numerous intense dark violet-colored flowers; long flowering period; and potential to be used as a cut flower or as a container plant.

Botanical designation: Veronica longifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALLLORD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant, botanically known as Veronica longifolia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Alllord’.

The new Veronica plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cuijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new attractive Veronica plants that can be used as either a cut flower or as a container plant.

The new Veronica plant originated from an open-pollination in September, 2008 of a proprietary selection of Veronica longifolia identified as code number 1-2008-30-3, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Veronica longifolia as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Veronica plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Cuijk, The Netherlands in July, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Cuijk, The Netherlands, since September, 2009, has shown that the unique features of this new Veronica plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Veronica have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Alllord’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Alllord’ as a new and distinct Veronica plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Compact and dense inflorescences with numerous intense dark         violet-colored flowers.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Can be used as a cut flower or as a container plant.

Plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Veronica are more compact         than inflorescences of plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Veronica and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have dark pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Veronica can be compared to plants of Veronica longifolia ‘Alllove’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,478. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cuijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Veronica differed primarily from plants of ‘Alllove’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica had narrower and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Alllove’.     -   2. Plants of the new Veronica and ‘Alllove’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Alllove’ had red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the Veronica plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Veronica plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Alllord’ grown in a 13-cm container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Alllord’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘Alllord’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown during the spring and early summer in an outdoor nursery in Cuijk, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to averaged 18° C. Plants were 14 months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica longifolia ‘Alllord’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Veronica             longifolia identified as code number 1-2008-30-3, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Veronica             longifolia, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 12° C. to 30°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 24 to 32 days at             12° C. to 30° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright inverted triangle; freely             basal branching habit with about 24 main stems; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 54.5 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 45.7 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 43.2 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Internode length: About 3.6 cm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 138A and             143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 143B and             144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker             than between N137A and 147A; venation, close to 144A to             144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B;             venation, close to 144B to 144C.         -   Petiole length.—About 1 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 2.5 mm by 3 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single campanulate flowers             arranged on primary and secondary terminal racemes; racemes             compact and dense; flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering, each terminal branch has             one primary raceme and about six secondary racemes; about             200 flowers per primary inflorescence and about 150 flowers             per secondary inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about seven             weeks after pinching; flowering continuous from June to late             September in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Broadly oblong. Color: Close to N88A; calyx, close to             143B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 9.6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower height.—About 8 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five in a single             whorl, petals fused about 50% of the length from the base.             Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Mostly             smooth and glabrous; towards the base, moderately pubescent.             Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N88A; towards             the base, close to 157D. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N88A to N88B; towards the base, close to             157D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About four in a single             whorl, sepals fused about 5% of the length from the base.             Length: About 2 mm to 2.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 143B. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 12.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Aspect: Primary racemes, mostly upright; secondary racemes,             about 35° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Aspect: About 60° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B             tinged with close to N186B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: One or             two. Filament length: About 4.5 mm. Filament color: Close to             N88B. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly             reniform. Anther color: Between N88A and N92B. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 156D.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             5 mm. Stigma shape: Clavate. Stigma color: Close to N89A.             Style length: About 4.5 mm. Style color: Close to N88B to             N88C. Ovary color: Close to 143B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Veronica. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Veronica have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Veronica. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Veronica have exhibited good     garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind, high     temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone     4. 

1. A new and distinct Veronica plant named ‘Alllord’ as illustrated and described. 